The colour of the Prince's skin is the least of this movie's faults. If he was Persian then they'd complain that they made him look like a giant douche.
Critic Accuses Prince of Persia of "Whitewashing"
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
- Start date
For the information of the author: Iranians are white.
Even though, "white" is neither a race nor an ethnicity, but it's slang. More scientifically speaking, we should say Iranians are Caucasian.
Just some plain facts: When Persians were running Empires and cultivating the basis of the modern civilization, the Europeans were walking half naked in Europe and forget about the America. It didn't even exist.
Let's ask what is white and who is white? The answer to the question is the function of who are you asking the question from. If you would have asked a sixteenth century European settler, he/she might have said Angelo-Saxons, a self portray of their own ethnicity only (a self-centered view).
In the 19th and early 20th century America, most of the people who are called "white" today were considered non-whites. Among this group are the Irish, Italians, Greeks, East Euros, and the Jews. But after WWII, all of a sudden all these people were assimilated into the main stream US and almost overnight were labeled as Whites.
Now the same people who were not considered white just 50 years ago are telling some other immigrants that they are not white. My advice to you would be: just wait another 50 years when the Latinos and even Phillipinos would be called White! It is already happening: look at their children.
Even though, "white" is neither a race nor an ethnicity, but it's slang. More scientifically speaking, we should say Iranians are Caucasian.
Just some plain facts: When Persians were running Empires and cultivating the basis of the modern civilization, the Europeans were walking half naked in Europe and forget about the America. It didn't even exist.
Let's ask what is white and who is white? The answer to the question is the function of who are you asking the question from. If you would have asked a sixteenth century European settler, he/she might have said Angelo-Saxons, a self portray of their own ethnicity only (a self-centered view).
In the 19th and early 20th century America, most of the people who are called "white" today were considered non-whites. Among this group are the Irish, Italians, Greeks, East Euros, and the Jews. But after WWII, all of a sudden all these people were assimilated into the main stream US and almost overnight were labeled as Whites.
Now the same people who were not considered white just 50 years ago are telling some other immigrants that they are not white. My advice to you would be: just wait another 50 years when the Latinos and even Phillipinos would be called White! It is already happening: look at their children.
Wow, someone's a little late to the "but he's white" party. Most people got their flaming about that done and over with when it was first being talked about, not two days before the movie is released.
I'm not too upset with it, but I do find it a bit annoying. I mean there are a lot of actors out there, you couldn't find one that at least looked slightly arabic? Jake's name alone will probably bring in plenty of money though, and he's not a bad actor (not great, but certainly not bad). This certainly isn't as bad as when hollywood bot John Wayne to play Genghis Khan (and the movie sucked ass too).
If you know The Last Airbender, you should know Zuko isn't really the bad guy, but rather the abused child prodigy who eventually is instrumental in overturning the rule of the real bad guy.Hurr Durr Derp said:
I do find it a little odd to say that The Last Airbender is really Asian. Sure, they incorporate a lot of martial arts and at times Asian architecture and garb, but I'm pretty sure they're supposed to be on a completely different world. Look on the map: Asia wouldn't be there.
It's sort of a subtle form of racism that a person needs to constantly associate characters with an ethnic group in order to fit them into boxes where they've judged them.
It's also annoying when developers act like an IP is improved when you take it from cartoon to live action. Cartoons regularly kick reality's ass. They're probably just in it for the cash grab.
I could see the talent scout now:Vigilantis said:
"OMG! GET A CAMERA! WE NEED TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT BADASSERY ON FILM!"
Since the dawn of theater we have had actors playing the role of a character that is a different race from the actor. Hell for the longest time men played all the women parts in plays. From a white person playing Othello, to Jake whateverhall playing the Prince, this is nothing uncommon. Is Iron Man "blackwashing" because they cast Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury?
Is anyone really surprised that someone complained? I've been waiting a long time.
I love how there's always people that cry racism. There was that movie about cards once, in casinos, that no one remembers anymore... But people were all up in arms since the character in the book was asian while the one in the movie was white. This isn't racism, people. It's business. Besides, PoP is set in a fantasy universe. It's not real Persia; this shit didn't actually happen.
I do wish Hollywood would stop trying to make everyone speak English in movies that are supposed to have a shred of Realism to them (i.e. Valkyrie, Enemy at the Gates). But PoP is hardly realistic.
I love how there's always people that cry racism. There was that movie about cards once, in casinos, that no one remembers anymore... But people were all up in arms since the character in the book was asian while the one in the movie was white. This isn't racism, people. It's business. Besides, PoP is set in a fantasy universe. It's not real Persia; this shit didn't actually happen.
I do wish Hollywood would stop trying to make everyone speak English in movies that are supposed to have a shred of Realism to them (i.e. Valkyrie, Enemy at the Gates). But PoP is hardly realistic.
Yeah I saw this on Yahoo yesterday and thought to myself does anybody care, isn't this just a way to advertise your movie freely so far it seems to be working getting everyone rilled up. Being white and feeling the need to be outraged with my own people so I don't look like a racist I realize it's kinda right but they're american films. In Japan the majority or most of the actors will be Japanese same as in other countries most people here are white so most the actors would be white. I think that we should enjoy the fact that we are so diverse we can complain about this sort of thing. And Gyllenhaal is a famous actor, they want a famous actor for the lead role and I can't think off the top of my head right now a famous actor of middle eastern decent equal or greater to the actor they have now. And I could careless about Avatar and Disney's backing Prince of Persia so that really doesn't matter either.
This remind me of Kung Fu, surely David Carradine looks very oriental, also they laid down Bruce Lee for that block and the guy didnt even know any martial arts at the time the series started. Old hollywood buisness old rant; if the actor is good it doesnt matter, if the actor stinks bad for them. Anyway is just prince of Percia, for all i care they could put a potato head as the main character.
(nerd)Samuel L Jackson is playing the Nick Fury from... I want to say Ultimate Marvel? In that universe, Nick Fury was black, and based on Samuel L. Jackson, so that is actually Samuel L Jackson playing a parody of himself(/nerd)BarbaricGoose said:
OT - I reckon Naveem Andrews would have made a great prince, but damn Gyllenhal looks near-perfect...